He stopped and pulled her to him, lowering his lips to hers. He kissed her long and hard, with one hand at her waist and the other at her breast. His thumb stroked across her nipple until it peaked, eager for more. Instantly hot for him, she moaned into his mouth, heedless of the crush of partygoers around them.
“You don’t want to tangle with him like you do with me,” he murmured.
Breathless, she stared into his intent face and got lost in the swirling desire she saw reflected in his eyes. “No, I don’t.”
“No, you don’t.” He straightened and pulled her toward the exit. “I’m far older than Marius Drake. There are very few vamps who are as old as I am, so leave the heavy lifting to me.”
She tugged on his hand, digging in her heels. “Okay. Slow down. I can’t leave yet. I haven’t found Agent Leroy.”
“I saw him leaving on my way in to claim you.”
“What?” Sable’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “Shit, we’ll never find him now.”
“Yes, we will,” Derek assured her.
“Have you got a tracking device on him or something?”
Derek snorted. “Listen. I did find a tracking device on your ship. And it’s not a Fed design. It’s Council.”
“What the fuck?” Sable stumbled to a halt, gaping at the back of his head.
“Yeah.” He tugged her along again. “My thoughts exactly. When we get through with Leroy, we’ll see if the serial number is registered somewhere.”
“Wow,” she breathed, her stomach roiling. “I don’t know what to think about that.”
“Don’t think about it now,” he soothed. “I’ll take care of you, Sable. Don’t worry about that.”
“This has been a really trying day, Derek. Look at everything that’s happened.”
“You’ve got me, so it can’t be all bad.” He tossed her a careless smile over his shoulder. “And I overheard Leroy getting directions from the front desk. I know just where he is.”
“Getting you is worth all this shit,” she said softly, profoundly affected by that smile.
He stepped out into the lobby and headed for the elevators. “We’ll go to our rooms and change out of these ridiculous clothes. Then we’ll see what he’s up to.”
“I happen to think you look very tasty in those clothes.”
His mouth curved with sardonic amusement. “I have to wonder at your taste, Sable. You liked me in my uniform too.”
“I like you best naked,” she purred.
The elevator doors slid shut and he engulfed her in a warm embrace. “This crap with Leroy better be over quick,” he groaned, his hands caressing the length of her spine. “Yours is the only body I’m interested in chasing right now.”
* * * * *
Derek kept his large form tucked closely against the wall of the small motel on the outskirts of town. Music wafted across the still night air as various room occupants held impromptu parties. Out here, away from the city, the night was darker and the sounds of transports less intrusive. Stars shimmered in the sky above, as did the moon, which hung low and full.
It was a night made for lovers.
Or hunters.
He glanced back at Sable. She moved on silent feet behind him, her hand twitching restlessly by the hilt of her lasersword, which was strapped to the side of her lithe thigh. She wore tight black trousers and a tighter black tank top, her erect nipples easily delineated through the thin fabric. As a slight breeze blew Sable’s luscious scent to him, his cock swelled with an unwanted erection.
He was going to throttle Jeff.
Glancing forward again, Derek inched his way along the dimly lit outside corridor. He’d forgotten to mention to Sable what he’d discovered about Marius Drake accessing, and possibly deleting, her records. At the time, he’d been too grateful that the other man hadn’t recognized him to remember to tell her.
In any case, that definitely hadn’t been their last meeting.